The State Duma Commission revealed facts of interference in the US Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report

Chairman of the Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia's Internal Affairs Vasilii Piskarev commented on the annual International Religious Freedom Report prepared by the US Department of State and published on May 12
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“The Commission has revealed another example of the US interference in Russia’s internal affairs,” he said.

“The section of the report related to Russia contains a vivid example of activities of the US authorities who have provided support to openly extremist groups under the pretext of protection of religious rights. Members of such organization as Jehovah's Witnesses are mentioned as “persecuted” in the report, while there are legal decisions of the courts of the Russian Federation that have entered into force and that organization is recognized as extremist in Russia, and a number of other extremist and terrorist organizations,” said the Chairman of the Commission.

“If you read the text of the report, it will be clear that the US State Department try to protect those organizations banned in the Russian Federation for promoting national and religious hatred, attempts to split society and threats to the territorial integrity of our country,” stressed Vasilii Piskarev Piskarev Vasily Ivanovich Piskarev
Vasily Ivanovich
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He drew attention to the fact that “the section of the State Department's report related to Russia is based on materials provided by foreign-funded NGOs recognized as foreign agents.” “The US authorities continue to act in the same way: they sponsor individual entities in Russia, and then use their materials to make false accusations against our country,” the parliamentarian said.

“Undisguised justification by the US officials of the activities of extremist organizations on the territory of the Russian Federation cannot but be an issue of concern,” said the Chairman of the State Duma Commission. “There are substantiated fears that the US authorities are ready to support and cooperate with any destructive forces to interfere in the socio-political processes of our country,” stressed Vasilii Piskarev.

“Any organization in Russia, including religious organizations, must perform activities in strict compliance with Russian legislation. The Commission has already submitted to the State Duma a number of legislative initiatives aimed at countering extremism. We will continue our work in this area,” concluded the Chairman of the Commission.